What is the requirement for the owner of lost property to reclaim it?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Lost-and-Found Property
Primary text
If the lost property is announced, the claimant must come to the location of the lost property and present legal evidence (Bayyinah) establishing ownership. Merely describing the property is insufficient for reclaiming it. This is because lost property is generally visible to the public, and anyone who saw it can describe its features, meaning description alone does not exclusively prove ownership.
Supporting text
The property being visible to the general populace while in the owner's possession means that the owner is not unique in knowing its description, thus description is not sufficient proof. The owner can establish ownership through Bayyinah, supported by the knowledge of his associates and neighbors regarding his possession of the item.